The Marching Illini Today

The 150th version of the Marching Illini may still hold the tradiotions that they used in 1868, however, the inclusion of women is one that has changed drastically. Now, the the color guard is not just responsible for holding the colors during pregame, but adding beauty and grace to every performance. They add an extremely important aspect to the Marching Illini and are considered just as much a part of the band as the winds and drums.

Going along with that, the Illinettes have also had a history worth mentioning. The Illinettes Dance Team orinigally started in the early 70's as a sideline team. When Gary Smith became the new Director of the Marching Illini in 1976, he made the Illinettes an official part of the Marhcing Illini. Since then, the Illinettes have not only been an integral part of the Marching Illini's performances, they have been a staple here at the University of Illinois as the Official Dance Team of the University after their merge with the Illini Dance team in the 2010's.

While women were officially allowed into the band in 1971; there are still sections in the band which remain to this day very male-centered. One of those being the Drumline. Currently, there are about 35 members of the drumline, only five of those are female. Four of them are on the cymbal line, one plays snare. This uneven ratio of female male is in no way unusual, but means that we as women are not done in the work that we had begun many years ago. The reason for this unevenness would probably lead to the fact that originally marching band was a male centered activity and the drumline are often seen as a "tough and intimidating section". Even now, a lot of people feel that women cannot carry, handle, or show the intensity it takes to be a member of the drumline; but anyone on the line will tell you that all the girls on it are some of the toughest and hard working people that they know, men and women.

There may be some work that still needs to be done in regards to giving females more positions in the marching arts, but the women that have come before us have set the bar and talent level extremely high, and I know that all of us look up to them a lot. When you are able to find someone "like you" and see that they did what you want to do; it gives you all the more motivation to pursue your own dreams.